Spring is Never that Far Gone
by PKlovesDW
Summary: Non-Magical AU. Draco is a dental assistant, and Harry is a patient. Pre-Slash! By DW.


**A/N:** This is the translation of my fic: Lente is Nooit Ver Weg (Spring is Never (That) Far Gone. It was inspired after listening to the song Het is Altijd Lente (In de Ogen van de Tandartsassistente) ( "It is Always Spring (In the Eyes of the Dental Assistant")). Note the "tandartsassistente", which is the female form of a dental assistant. Anyway, this is made for: **The Modern!AU Competition/Challenge**

**Summary: **Non-Magical AU. Draco is a dental assistant, and Harry is a patient. Pre-Slash! By DW.

**Disclaimer: **Nope, Harry Potter is not mine, just this whacky plot.

* * *

Harry walked into the waiting room and nodded to the people seated there. He searched for a chair and sat down, after grabbing a magazine. After all, it's what people usually did in a waiting room. Everyone had a certain oddity, a certain tic which repeated itself over and over again. One person would look at the clock, his watch or mobile cell phone. The other would be playing games on his smartphone, or would read something interesting in a magazine. And then there were the victims. The people who've already been taken care of, and were waiting to be called back. Especially people who had to wait until the anaesthesia worked. Those were the people, especially young persons and children, who always looked so piteous. Or chagrined.

An older man and woman sat in the left corner of the room, waiting, hand in hand. No words were said, yet they seemed to understand each other completely. That kind of love and shared respect couldn't ever be bested. A little boy, about six years old, was seated between his mother and father, begging to play a game on the phone. Dad caved in eventually, having enough of his blond son. The six-year-old grinned en grabbed at the black thing. To finish the line, there was a teenager in the right corner. She was wearing a ponytail while she chewed on gum with abandon. Maybe she recently quit smoking? The line continued against the right wall. A man looked grumpily in front of him, continuously looking at the time. He couldn't stop looking at his watch, and as if that wasn't good enough, he checked his mobile, too. Another man was seated next to him, who seemed to be younger. He had his cell phone between his head and shoulder and noted what was being said. Occasionally a few words escaped the young man. No-one was seated next to him. Which brought him to the other side of the room. The two seats there still remained empty, though the door rang and a mother and her son walked in. The brown-haired woman sat down and placed her son on her lap. He couldn't have been older than four years.

But Harry… Harry was seated at the table and could supervise everything over the rim of his magazine. It was intriguing how some people behaved. One person was irritated because his appointment was running late, while the other was perfectly happy it took longer before he could go back to school. You see a lot of those people. He yawned and covered his mouth, which caused the half of the magazine to graze the surface of the table. Several people looked up, like the elder woman, the father and the teenager. He smiled and grabbed his magazine. So predictable. Harry looked at the clock and noticed it was still early. It was indeed only twenty past nine, while his appointment was to be at half past nine. Enough time to watch how people came and went. It was absolutely fascinating.

A boy with spectacles walked inside, his mouth twisted in a weird way. Ah, he had already gotten an anaesthetic. His attention was drawn when the head of the blond dental assistant made itself known. "Mister Brun?" he asked, and when the grumpy man stood up he had already disappeared around the corner. But Harry's gaze didn't leave that spot. Instead he stared for a long time into empty space. Since when did he work for this dentist? Harry had never seen him before, though it wasn't all that odd. He only came by once every half year. Rarely something was the matter with his teeth, for which he was glad. He didn't like the dentist, but he avoided it as much as he could. Who would enjoy it when someone was probing your mouth with several instruments? Exactly. No-one. Although he wouldn't mind it when the dental assistant was inside his mouth. In any way whatsoever.

He lifted the magazine a bit higher, to watch if someone else was being called for. And to hide his blushing face. His green eyes glided over the other 'patients'. The little boy with the smartphone sat down with his arms tightly crossed, with a pout on his face. Apparently dad had had enough of him. Harry only smiled. Maybe adopting was still something he could do. At least, if his partner had the same wish. But he still had more than enough time, with his twenty-three years. Enough time to find a steady lover, and more than enough time to have a child. He stretched his legs, and once again the nearly unrealistically handsome face appeared. "Misses McAdams?"

The elderly lady rose on shaky legs and her husband followed. The dental assistant pushed away from the door post and helped the elderly woman, by putting her hand through his arm. Harry looked on eagerly when the man walked away from him. Slender, almost athletically his figure seemed to be. Blond hair so light it was nearly white. And very odd, too, grey eyes. Who had grey eyes? In his entire life he had only come across one person, and that person had had one grey eye and one green eye. But then again, it was a bit hypocritical if he said that it was a strange eye colour, since he had bright green eyes, though it was still odd. But what an eye colour…

His attention was drawn to the clock, which kindly reminded him it was half past nine. Harry's eyebrows climbed up on his face. A small smile made itself known. Maybe the dental assistant would treat him? His smile changed into a smirk. _That_ would be interesting.

"Mister Potter?" said the voice of a fallen angel. Who, or what, else would look like that? Not something from this world.

Harry rose, and when he walked into the room the dental assistant smiled at him. He smiled right back. While he found his seat, he wondered what the eyes reminded him of. The chair dropped back and the assistant smiled. "My colleague will be with you in a moment."

Harry nodded and waited for the dentist, his stomach fluttering, both from the fact that he was seated in the dentist's chair as the dental assistant in front of him. The dental assistant remained standing in the corner of the room to supervise.

"Ah, mister Potter. Had any trouble with your teeth, lately?" the dentist asked when he stepped inside the white room.

"No. Not at all."

The dentist nodded. He took out his instruments and Harry opened his mouth. The dentist's mirror turned with the sickle probe and did its job. The sickle probe didn't stick to anything, and Harry knew the judgement before it was given.

"It looks like you have no cavities whatsoever."

But suddenly Harry wished he did have a cavity, just as an excuse to stay longer. "Well, my teeth tend to hurt whenever I drink anything cold. I didn't really think anything of it until now, because it's getting more annoying."

The dentist hummed and looked at him. "We could make a radiograph to be certain of the condition of your teeth."

Harry nodded, satisfied. The dental assistant stepped forward and grabbed the X-Ray device. Harry opened his mouth again and closed it. The dentist and dental assistant stepped out of the room, while Harry remained seated.

A minute later both of the men returned, and Harry stood before the counter for the next appointment. The assistant seated himself on a chair and smiled at him. "We should have the result within two weeks. Would this pose a problem?"

Harry shook his head a bit too enthusiastically, but covered it with a little cough. "I'd like to come back in two weeks. What time?"

The dental assistant looked at the computer and hummed. "Nine o'clock?"

Harry nodded. The card was written and a minute later he was back on the street, a near-besotted smile on his face. Who could've known that going to the dentist could be that pleasant?

* * *

A day later Harry had a resolution. A very good resolution, if he said so himself. His dental floss stood pathetically on the shelf in front of his mirror, which was held company by his toothpicks and his toothbrush. He threw in an unreasonable amount of sugar in his coffee, all done so he could create a cavity in a minimal amount of time. A bag of sweet popcorn had become his loyal companion, and everybody looked at him oddly when he worked. But he couldn't disagree with them. He just wanted to create a reason to prolong his stay at the dentist. A reason to see the dental assistant again. The grey eyes, the colour of a storm on a beautiful Spring day. Although, that was what he saw in them. Spring.

And so it went, day after day. Harry started to eat more and more sweet things, not caring that he might ruin his teeth forever. No, for he was in love, he was sure of that.

Eventually two weeks had come and gone, and for the first time Harry picked up his toothbrush. It would be more than a little bit disgusting if he showed up with plaque and a bad breath at the dentist. And of course it would leave an odd impression with the dental assistant. And nothing could be more humiliating or degrading than that. Of course he hoped that the dental assistant would be attending today. After a last glance on the clock, he walked out the door and grabbed his bicycle. It was much easier to manoeuvre between the traffic on a vehicle with two tires. Within ten minutes he climbed off his bicycle and put it in the shed, where a few other cycles stood. He stifled a yawn and walked inside, the bell ringing above his head. He looked at the clock and noticed it was already ten to nine.

The man from his dreams and fantasies bumped against him when he walked out of the waiting room.

"I'm sorry. I didn't see you there for a moment." An apologetic smile pulled the corners of his lips up.

Harry blinked and stood rooted on the spot for a moment. After a moment he regained himself and smiled. "Doesn't matter. It was my own fault, too, in a way. I didn't look where I was going." After a last smile Harry walked around him and found a seat. The spot at the table was once again free and he took his seat. There were several people waiting already, though it was calmer than the previous time.

A mother tried, and failed, to keep her son awake, who was lying against her with his eyes closed. Two seats down a teenager was ticking away on the glass screen of her smartphone, her nails clacking when she pushed the buttons. Further down there was a man, whose daughter was sitting on his lap, whispering softly to her. It was a most charming sight, which was heart-warming. A grumpy looking lady sat in a corner, reading through a magazine, her long, manicured nails gripping the paper.

Harry sighed and grabbed his own magazine, which seemed beckon him. And once again he used it as a replacement shield when the dental assistant walked in and stole his breath. His blond hair fell in front of his face when he called, "Misses Whittle?" Even his voice was perfect. Manly, but soft, a voice both capable of being sharp or caressing. A voice which reminded Harry of Spring, just like his eyes. Cool when he wanted them to be, but warm when he wasn't paying attention. Oh yes, Harry had become a master in observing. The limbs of the man screamed pure grace and aristocracy. The skin colour was as pale as the last-fallen snow of the season, but seemed as soft as satin. Just like living marble, with no blemish, though there was a tattoo on his left arm.

Soon both the mother and her son were called away, and the teenager followed moments later. "Mister Potter?" Only now Harry realised that the blond man rolled his r sensually with his tongue, which made him shiver. He rose on unsteady legs and smiled at the man. He was led into the room and took his seat in the dentist's chair. The blond man made the chair drop back and smiled down on him.

"The result of the X-Ray was clear. The dentist will tell you more about it in a moment." The man remained seated in the chair behind Harry, until the dentist arrived.

"Ah, mister Potter. The results are in." He took over the chair the blond man had vacated and grabbed his instruments, while explaining. "The X-Ray showed the beginning of caries, which shouldn't be a problem, unless you couldn't lay off the candy," the dentist laughed, but frowned when his sickle probe caught. "It looks like you couldn't keep away from the sugar after all. This one can be filled again."

When the instruments left Harry's mouth, he smiled secretively. "So I can come by once again for the next appointment?"

The dentist nodded. "Mister Malfoy will make an appointment for you. Good day to you, mister Potter."

Harry nodded, dazed. Malfoy, eh? He walked back to the counter and smiled again. Another appointment. Just what he wanted.

"The same time as today? In two weeks' time?" the blond man, Malfoy, asked him.

Harry nodded. "That should be fine." He took the card and smiled once again. "I'll see you in two weeks!" he said cheerfully when he walked away.

* * *

And once again Harry was seated in the waiting room. In the very same waiting room, which still changed constantly. At the moment he was the only one waiting, though he was a bit late. It was five to nine, and even though he had to fill his tooth, he was happy and cheery. Normally he didn't do anaesthesia, but today he would. Everything to prolong his appointment. The door tinkled and an adolescent boy stepped inside, his head practically buried in his smartphone. Harry shook his head, but looked up when the blond hair he so adored appeared around the corner, with the face of which he was convinced he was in love with.

"Ah, mister Potter. Would you come with me, if you please?"

Harry would like to come anytime, and blushed at his own innuendo. Practically falling over his own feet, he followed the dental assistant. The dentist nodded when he walked into the room, and mentioned for him to take his seat. Harry saw the anaesthetic and smiled. He hadn't had an anaesthetic in years.

"Mister Potter. Would you care for an anaesthetic?"

Harry nodded. "Please."

The dentist answered his nod with his own, and grabbed the dental syringe. Harry opened his mouth dutifully and the syringe disappeared in his oral mucosa. The feeling of a kind of pressure bloomed, before the needle left its spot and disappeared.

"We'll be calling you back in ten minutes."

Harry nodded, jumped off his seat and walked to the waiting room, a grin on his face, which felt a bit tight. The anaesthetic did its job already. A little grimace covered his face. Now the anaesthetic would work for about four hours. But it was worth it, and soon enough the grin took over. The newspaper he saw lying previously was there still, and he picked it up.

After about ten minutes he was once again seated in the dental chair, his mouth open for several instruments. The dental assistant, Malfoy, passed them to the dentist, who was rooting around in his mouth. Several sounds echoed around the white room, which would sound in the waiting room like a torture chamber. And several wouldn't be misplaced at all. Harry's eyes focused as often as he could on the face with the blond hair, though he tried to be inconspicuous about it.

His tooth was filled in no time at all, and Harry rose, while disappointment roiled through his body. This was it. After this he wouldn't be back for half a year, unless something seemed to be the matter. He sighed, while walking through the door to the counter to make a new appointment.

The man smiled at him, and looked at the computer. "Shall we make a new appointment about half a year later?"

Harry nodded.

"Would you like a specific day or time?"

Harry shook his head and looked absentmindedly at the back of the computer. How much he wouldn't give to manipulate the thing so he could come by more often.

"Then we'll see you half a year later, mister Potter."

Harry nodded and walked away. Half a year. He wouldn't see the man whom he was so in love with for half a year. Nothing, zilch, nada. The door shut behind him, and he sighed, while walking to his bicycle. The door behind him opened, but he didn't look back, fully convinced it was just another patient. _Just another patient_, he thought bitterly. That was all he was.

When someone grabbed his shoulder, he was so startled that he nearly hit the other person in the face. The man, Malfoy, stood in front of him, nearly shining in the light with his white lab coat and blond hair. Harry frowned.

The man handed him his appointment card smilingly. Harry's frown deepened, even though he took the card. He had forgotten his card sometime before, but they had just mailed him his appointment.

"No-one looks as happy as you did when they have a cavity. And no-one looks as let down when they aren't able to get back before the standard half a year."

Harry froze. Was the man onto him? Did he know what kind of longings he had, what kind of feelings ran through his body? Had he been so obvious that the man on whom he had fixed his affections had noticed? Before he could even move, the man had turned around and walked back to the door.

"Besides, my name is Draco. No mister Malfoy. Maybe you should just take a look at the back of your card." With that last cryptic message he disappeared through the door.

Half a minute later Harry regained himself and had scraped all his courage together to take a glance at the back of his card. A little while later a smile spread over his face. He hoped the anaesthetic would've run out of power by then…

_Coffee at 2:30 PM?_

— _The Court Road Café_


End file.
